Car-coupling



(N0 Model.)

A. G. MARTIN.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Sept. 23, 1890.

f inn 61713 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER C. MARTIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,796, dated September 23, 1890.

Application filed July 14,

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER O. FIARTIN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view of my improved car-coupler. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a front end View showing the arm upon which the hook is formed as partly broken off and in a raised position.

Corresponding letters of reference in the different figures indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient car-c0upler,which may be actuated by hand without danger to the operator, and which maybe simple and durable in its construction and operation, all of which is hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, a a represent the ends of two freight-cars, while I) b indicate the draw-heads, which are attached to the car in the usual manner, but which are constructed as hereinafter specified for the reception of the couplers. The draw-heads b are bifurcated in form, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and between the diverging portions is pivoted at c an elbow-shaped coupler f, upon the extremity of one arm f of which is formed a hook f while the remaining arm f is widened at the end, as shown at and in such widened portion is formed a slot f adapted to receive the hook f of the coupler upon the opposite draw-head, said slotted arm forming the equivalent of the ordinary link.

Pivotally attached to a stud g, which is socured to the arm f, is a small pulley g, with which is connected a chain 2', which is trained around pulleys j j, attached to the car-body above the draw-head and thence over pulleys k, arranged at the sides, respectively, and upon the ends of the cars. Afralne or casing Z is preferably provided to partially or wholly cover the chains and pulleys described. Weights m m are attached to the respective ends of the chain 1; for the purpose of nor mally holding the coupler, so that the hook may be raised with the arm f in a vertical position, as shown at the left in Figs. 1 and 2, the weights being made sufficiently heavy to counterbalance the arm f and not to raise it when the latter is lowered to a horizontal position, as shown at the right in Figs. 1 and 2. The chain 2' is suffi'ciently long to permitt-he weights m m to hang down below the pulleys from which they are suspended, and upon grasping one weight and pulling downwardly the weight upon the opposite side is raised until it can ascend no farther, when a further pull serves to raise the arm f and lift the hook f from engagement with the slot f in the companion coupler. The position of the weight when the arm f is raised is shown at the left in Fig. 1. Upon raising the weight m, and thus loosening the chain, the arm f is permitted to fall.

Should the operator desire to lower the arm f while he is upon the side of the ear upon which the weight is raised, he first draws the chain through the pulleys to its fullest extent and then raises the weight of which he'has hold, which permits the arm f to fall into the slot f of the arm f which is normally in a horizontal position, and as the weight upon but one car is raised at a time it is obvious that the couplers cannot fail to engage with each other.

If desirable at any time to employ an ordinary link and coupling-pin, it may be done by forming lateral projections 12' b, which are provided with bores N, Fig. 2, for the reception of a coupling-pin 17 Fig. 3.. Thus it will be seen that myimproved coupler may be em ployed upon any car and not only used upon other cars to which it is attached, but in connection with cars having the ordinary coupler.

Among the advantages of my improved coupler is its simplicity, durability, and cheapness, coupled with the fact that the operator is not obliged to pass between the cars in using it.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. A car-coupler consisting of two elbows pivotally secured in opposite draw-heads, each of said elbows having a hook upon the eXtrem= ity of one arm and a corresponding slot at or near the extremity of the other, and means for tilting said elbows upon their pivots, whereby the hook upon the arm in one draw-head may enter the slot in the arm pivoted within the other, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the draw-heads b b, of the hooked and slotted elbow-couplers f, pivoted, respectively,within the draw-heads, and means for oscillating said elbows upon their pivots, substantially as shown and de scribed.

3. The combination of the bifurcated drawheads I) b, elbows f, hooked and slotted, as described, and pivoted within said draw-heads, chains trained over pulleys and loosely attached to the arms f f, and counterpoiseweights m m, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-heads, of the pivoted elbow-couplers f, hooked and slotted, as specified, chains I, trained loosely over pulleys attached to the car-body and arms f respectively, said chains being of a sufficient. length to permit the arm f to descend to a horizontal position, and counterpoise-weights upon therespectiveends of said chains, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony, whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing- Witnesses, this 2d day of July, 1890.

ALEXANDER MARTIN.

'Wltnessesz D. H. FLETCHER, A. S. CALDWELL. 

